Gazing At The Stars
by iloveromance
Summary: An unplanned stargazing session becomes a lesson in love. AU "Here's Looking at You" Christmas gift for LeighAnn415


**A/N: "Here's Looking At You" is one of my favorite episodes and I really wish that Niles had been in it more. I always envisioned him coming over to see Martin's telescope, hence the inspiration for this story. **

Niles' heart pounded in his chest as he stood at Frasier's door. He couldn't wait to see Daphne again, although he would never admit that she was the reason he'd stopped by unannounced. But the truth was that she was always the reason for his visits. He loved Frasier and his father of course, but since the moment he'd first laid eyes on Daphne Moon, he'd dreamt of her every night.

His marriage had long since crumbled beyond repair and happiness was far out of reach. But when he slept, Daphne filled his mind and he was happy once more. It was there that he held her in his arms, comforting her, protecting her, loving her, kissing her. It was heavenly; a far cry from his lonely real life, or his former married life, which had been even more lonely. Maris never liked to be comforted, choosing instead to lock herself in her room while Niles foolishly fretted about her state of mind.

But now he pushed those thoughts away, hoping to start anew. He knocked on the door, eagerly awaiting an answer. And it came in the form of an angel. Wearing a denim shirt draped over a soft, white t-shirt, slim black pants that hugged every curve of her lower body and black ballet flats, she was even more beautiful than a princess. His breath was taken away at the sight of her when she smiled warmly.

"Oh, hello Dr. Crane! I wasn't expecting to see you!"

"Hello, Daphne. I'm sorry to drop in like this, but I just wanted to see this telescope I've been hearing so much about." It wasn't a lie, for he was curious about the newest addition to the Crane household. But having Daphne there with him was an added pleasure. She opened the door wider, allowing him to step inside.

"Of course. Come in, Dr. Crane. But you don't have to apologize for dropping by. You're always welcome here."

His heart warmed at her sweet words. "Thank you Daphne, but-."

"I know you were expecting your father and brother but I'm afraid they aren't here at the moment. Your brother is at a meeting at the station and your father is out with Irene."

Niles eyebrows rose. "Irene? Again? Isn't this the third date they've had this week?"

Daphne grinned. "Actually it's the fourth. That telescope has done wonders for your father's self-esteem, although I admit that I did give him a little help when it came to pursuing the mystery woman across the way. He's so self-conscious about his hip, but he really shouldn't be. Using a cane is nothing to be ashamed of. He's doing very well and he should be proud of himself."

Feeling bold, Niles reached for her hand. "And I'm so grateful, Daphne. Frasier and I can't thank you enough for all you've done. We haven't seen Dad this happy in a long time. And might I say you look lovely this evening."

She blushed, making her complexion seem even more beautiful. "You're sweet Dr. Crane, but I'm afraid I'm a mess! I put on this outfit this morning, but if I had known that we were going to have company, I would have put on something more presentable."

"Nonsense, Daphne. You always look beautiful no matter what you wear."

Her eyes filled with tears that she quickly blinked away and she squeezed his hand. "Aren't you sweet? I wish your brother felt that way. He's always making some comment about me outfits. I told him that if he doesn't like what I'm wearing, he can give me a raise!"

She laughed at her own joke, but Niles made a mental note to increase her pay immediately. No salary was too high for an angel who took such wonderful care of their father. They smiled shyly at one another until Daphne broke the silence.

"Can I get you anything?"

"No thank you, Daphne. I'll just make a glass of sherry if you don't mind."

"Not at all. Go right ahead and make yourself at home."

He crossed the room to the bar and poured a glass of sherry. The sweet liquid trickled down his throat, soothing him instantly. Or perhaps it was the effect of the angel standing next to him.

A quick glance around the room and he moved to the large picture window that displayed the Seattle skyline. It certainly was breathtaking and he doubted that anyone in Seattle had as spectacular a view. Niles' own home was nothing like his brother's lavish Elliott Bay Towers condominium. Maris had cleaned him out financially and he was forced to spend his days at the Devil's own apartment complex, also known as the Shangri-La. He shuddered at the idea that he, Niles Crane, lived in such a dreadful place.

But prior to that he lived in a mansion that was almost castle-like in existence with a magnificent view of their gardens. They were elaborate gardens that Maris had insisting on planting (or rather the gardens that Yoshi had designed. Maris wouldn't dare mess with such details, and instead chose to pay handsomely to have the most respected landscaper in all of Seattle take on the project) and Niles had to admit that Yoshi had done a marvelous job.

But now, looking out at the lights of the Seattle skyline, Niles couldn't help but feel the tiniest pang of jealousy. Frasier might not have realized it, but his view was far better and much more beautiful than Niles. There was beauty inside and out of his home at the Elliot Bay Towers day after day, in the form of Daphne Moon.

As if by fate, Daphne smiled and quickly averted her eyes, very subtly letting Niles know that she'd caught him staring at her. Slightly embarrassed he looked away, reminded of an evening not so long ago when he was having dinner with his dad, Daphne and Frasier.

Niles hadn't been able to take his eyes off of Daphne, no matter how hard he tried. But that was nothing new. However when Frasier shouted "Will you stop staring?" Niles nearly jumped out of his seat before yelling "I wasn't staring!" But at the time, he had no idea that the reprimand was meant for Eddie, his father's beloved Jack Russell Terrier, who took great pleasure in staring at Frasier at every opportunity. However, the mistake did nothing to quell Niles' humiliation, although Daphne now seemed to have forgotten all about it.

He swallowed hard and headed for the newest attraction, his father's telescope. It certainly was remarkable; sleek, black and silver lines made for an impressive piece.

"So, this is the famous telescope."

The casual remark made Daphne smile. "Yes it is. Who knew that a telescope could bring two lonely souls together?" she sighed dreamily. "It's so romantic Less than a month ago your father and Irene had no idea that the other existed and now they've been seeing each other almost every night!"

Niles mouth fell open. "Really? I had no idea."

"Oh yes, and I'll never forget the looks on their faces when they first saw each other in person. Up close, I mean. She's quite attractive and very nice. I'm glad your father has found someone. I know he still loves your mother very much. He talks about her often, but it's nice to see that he has found companionship. But to tell you the truth…."

She looked away and gazed absently out the window, causing him concern. And she was silent for so long that his concern turned to worry. "Daphne, is everything all right?"

Quickly she turned to face him. "What?"

"You were going to say something."

"Oh, well, I was just going to say that I can't help feeling a bit jealous of your father and Irene. I know it's wrong, but-."

"How so?"

"Jealously is a horrible thing, Dr. Crane. I'm sure you can understand that."

"Actually I meant, why are you feeling jealous?"

She smiled shyly, her cheeks flushing to a warm shade of pink. "Oh, I don't know. The idea of meeting someone unexpectedly and the possibility of falling in love. It sounds wonderful. But I don't think it will ever happen to me."

His heart went out to her and he wanted so much to comfort her, but he didn't dare. Not without risking everything.

"Would you like to try it out?"

He turned in surprise at the sound of her voice. "Tr-try what out?"

"The telescope."

Suddenly he felt as though he could sink through the floor in humiliation. What was wrong with him? What did he think she meant? "Oh right… I'll just have a look."

He leaned down and peered through the lens, amazed at the sight. But he was suddenly aware of his angel standing next to him, so close that he could feel the warmth of her body. She draped her arm around his shoulders and reached for the telescope lens. And in that moment he was certain that if he turned his face in the slightest that their lips would meet.

It took an enormous amount of strength, but he kept his gaze in the lens, in awe of how close it made everything seem. He could seed the iconic Space Needle that now looked as though it had parked itself right next to Frasier's balcony.

"Look! I can see the people on the observation deck!" He laughed feeling joyously silly over something so trivial, but Daphne laughed just the same.

"It's quite remarkable, isn't it?"

"Yes, it really is."

"Dr. Crane, might I show you something else?"

His breath caught in his throat as she moved even closer, her silky hair falling softly against his cheek. And the scent… why it was the most incredible scent imaginable; a blend of lavender and rose petals. "O-of course, Daphne."

Slowly she titled the telescope until it was centered on the crescent moon that was framed by the twinkling stars. And he was still peering through the lens when she moved away. When he looked at her through his own eyes, stepping back from the telescope, she was gazing out the window with her arms folded across her chest.

"Isn't that the most beautiful sight you've ever seen?" She sighed in the same dreamy tone as before.

He moved the telescope lens until it centered on the silhouette of her beautiful face, her porcelain features suddenly larger than life. And then he smiled. "It certainly is, Daphne."

She turned her head, staring at him in obvious disbelief. And he took the opportunity to move away from the telescope. He moved close to her, gently placing his hand on her chin and she gasped in surprise.

"Dr. Crane, what are you-."

The kiss, although something he'd dreamt about since their first encounter, far exceeded his expectations. And didn't stop at just one; he couldn't. Instead he kept kissing her until, to his dismay, she drew back in amazement. His hand still lingered on her soft, warm cheek and he was captivated by her beautiful brown eyes. The words left his mouth before he was even aware that he had spoken.

"I love you, Daphne."

"Y-you what?"

He pursed his dry lips, attempting to dampen them if only a bit. "I-I love you."

He wasn't sure what reaction he expected but he received none at all, other than her disillusioned stare. And when she began to cry, he was sure he had broken her heart. "Daphne, I'm sorry, I-."

"H-how can you possibly be sorry for saying such beautiful words to me?"

He was so stunned that he could hardly speak. "Daphne, do you mean-."

She kissed him softly, her lips warm against his. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. That means so much to me."

But still he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "A-are you saying-."

She hugged him tightly, her heavenly scent wafting under his nose. And while she didn't say the words in return, he held her close, sighing with pleasure when she kissed his cheek. After a long, blissful moment she let go. "Dr. Crane, may I ask you something?"

He grinned shyly. "Of course, Dr. Crane, you can ask me anything."

"It's a beautiful night. Would you like to go out on the balcony and gaze at the stars… with me?"

His heart soared and his knees felt weak. "I would love to."

She laughed at his wobbly response. "Good, I was hoping you'd agree. It might be a bit cold so I'd better take this." She grabbed a blanket from the sofa and followed Niles outside. When they reached the balcony, they sat down and she wrapped the blanket around their shoulders, her head resting against his chest. "I'm sure that telescope will get lots of use, but I like seeing the stars from this vantage point, don't you, Dr. Crane?"

He turned his head to find their lips just inches apart. And his heart began to beat even faster. "Daphne…"

"Hush, don't talk. Just enjoy this beautiful moment."

"But-."

She cradled his face in her hands. "Thank you, Dr. Crane. For telling me that you love me, because I love you too."

He drew in a breath, grateful that he was sitting down. "Y-you do?"

"Of course I do. Now I know it might not be the same type of love that you're feeling but I can't tell you how flattered I am. I don't want this to interfere with our friendship which I'm sure will continue to grow. And perhaps one day my love for you will be different. But don't worry. We won't rush into anything. We're already such good friends that we have a firm foundation for a relationship. But these things take time and we'll take all of the time you need."

He swallowed hard, feeling dizzy. "Daphne…"

She smiled, softly stroking his hair, "You're nervous, aren't you? I'm a bit nervous too. Perhaps we should start by getting to know each other a little better, in a different light? Why don't we try another kiss? It's simple and fairly easy to start with, don't you think?"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea."

This time it was she who initiated the kiss, her arms wrapped around his neck. And in between kisses, they were content to gaze at the stars.

THE END


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